President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize

So does President Obama earn his Nobel Peace Prize for the Middle East peace process this week when he vetoes UN recognition of Palestine? What should he do and why? Should the UN recognize a country that won't recognize another member (Israel)?

No secret that I'm pro-Palestine.

It's kind of hard moving toward a two-state region if there's only one state - and it refuses to acknowledge the other state.

No American president has stood up to the power and influence of AIPAC, and I do not expect President Obama to be an exception.

bailey bud wrote: No secret that I'm pro-Palestine.

It's kind of hard moving toward a two-state region if there's only one state - and it refuses to acknowledge the other state.

No American president has stood up to the power and influence of AIPAC, and I do not expect President Obama to be an exception.

I know you have more of an opinion and probably more knowledge of the situation than myself. I would just ask how any friend of Israel (few that there are) could give the green light to Palestine forcing statehood without negotiation and without revealing without a doubt what kind of government (who will control it) and if that government would acknowlege the right of Israel to exist?

Not trying to be confrontational, I've just not seen a history of the Palestinian leaders willing to budge from their demands any more than the Israelis who are surrounded by enemies and Palestinian sympythizers.

President Obama doesn't want to lose any more Jewish votes so I doubt the US would support Palestine on this issue.

The only way Israel will ever deal with Palestine is if they're forced to do so.

I would point out that not all Isreaelis are against Palestinian statehood:

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/op ... e-1.385694

bailey bud wrote: The only way Israel will ever deal with Palestine is if they're forced to do so.

I would point out that not all Isreaelis are against Palestinian statehood:

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/op ... e-1.385694

So does that mean that Israelis should aslo be forced to live by Palestinian terms? Once the border lines are drawn, that's it. If you were an Israeli wanting saftey for your family, what assurances do you think the Palestinians could give to Israelis that they would no longer be fired upon when these borders are defined (and would the be defensible borders)?

And I agree that not all Israelis are against statehood for 2 reasons. #1, I'm sure the people of Israel who have been hoping for peace for decades would just like it to be resolved in their lifetimes. #2, at least 20% of Israelis are Arabs.

I don't think Israel should be forced to live by Palestinian terms. Recognition of statehood is not the same as negotiating terms. The US negotiates terms with Mexico and Canada all the time. Canada is negotiating terms with Russia.

Israel's trump card with Palestine is that Palestine isn't a state, and therefore, has no rights...... I'd like to see that trump card removed. I support statehood, simply because I support recognizing Palestinians as human beings. I'd like to give the average Palestinian some reason to hope.

I don't think recognizing the existence of Palestine necessarily is a deliberate slight of Israel.

bailey bud wrote: I don't think Israel should be forced to live by Palestinian terms. Recognition of statehood is not the same as negotiating terms. The US negotiates terms with Mexico and Canada all the time. Canada is negotiating terms with Russia.

Israel's trump card with Palestine is that Palestine isn't a state, and therefore, has no rights...... I'd like to see that trump card removed. I support statehood, simply because I support recognizing Palestinians as human beings. I'd like to give the average Palestinian some reason to hope.

I don't think recognizing the existence of Palestine necessarily is a deliberate slight of Israel.

The flaw in your argument is the borders...you can't have a state without borders, you can't have borders without compromise by BOTH parties..... or war.

So it is okay to declare yourself a state inside another state's borders?

Of course there is no secret where my loyalties lie in that regard, but BB I ask you this question seriously. How is that justified?

No - I don't really support a state inside another state's borders. Palestine isn't within Israel's recognized borders, though - is it?
(even Israel often calls it "occupied territory")

The two areas of Palestine (Gaza and the West Bank) are territories renounced by Egypt and Jordan, respectively (but not renounced to Israel). They're not really within the borders of Israel.